Flush tank float valve



March 18, 1958 J. K. LUND EI'AL 2,827,072

FLUSH TANK FLOAT VALVE Filed Feb. 28, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll" (ll/7:5 K I 0/10 March 18, 1958 J. K. LUND ETA!- 2,827,072

FLUSH TANK FLOAT VALVE Filed, Feb. 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v [mar 1/ K9417 Z7; 44%M, vWtl Tl-E' March 18, 1958 J, L D ETAL 2,827,072

FLUSH TANK FLOAT VALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 28, 1955 r w M A a K l w w r 5 m 0 A w g MW a w & M v vwt. H 9 ,7 a m w 6 Y m 9 w ,0 9 w w 7 9 W H W 9 MW United States Patent FLUSH TANK FLOAT VALVE James K. Lund, flak Park, and Elroy J. Kraft, Des Plaines, EL, assignors to The Dole Valve Company, Chicago, ilk, a corporation of illinois Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 490,718

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-414) This invention relates to improvements in flush tank filling devices.

Heretofore, flush tanks or water closet bowls have been filled under the control of a float shut-ofl valve, the closing of which is a gradual process and is not ended until the float comes to rest in its highest position. This results in a noisy shut-off and a waste of water through the overflow drain pipe.

The principal reason for this waste is that while three gallons of water is normal for complete emptying of the Syphon cavity within the flush tank or water closet bowl. the valve can pass to the overflow drain pipe from three to nine gallons of water, in addition to the capacity of the bowl, due to the great length of time in the filling cycle, and especially under low water pressure conditions.

A principal object of the present invention is to remedy this difficulty by metering the correct quantity of water to a flush tank and filling the tank rapidly and shutting off the flow of water with a snap action, so as to avoid trickling into the overflow drain pipe.

A further object of our invention is to provide a quick closing valve for flush tanks, in which a measured quantity of water is supplied to the valve regardless of variations in pressure at the source of supply of the incoming water.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a float controlled pressure operated snap action valve for flush tanks, for filling the flush tank rapidly and preventing trickling of water into the overflow drain pipe.

Still a further object of our invention is to reduce the noise heretofore present in filling flush tanks by filling the tank through a vertically extending annular passageway and discharging the water into the tank from the lower end of the passageway.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a novel and improved form of float controlled flush tank filling valve in which a pressure operated diaphragm controls the flow of fluid to the flush tank and has association with a vertically extending tube, and in which a concentric filler tube carries the float and has a pilot valve connected thereto for controlling operation of the pressure operated diaphragm, the concentric tubes forming an annular passageway for discharging water into the flush tank adjacent the bottom thereof, and cooperating with the diaphragm valve to quiet the filling operation thereof.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a noveland improved form of quick closing float controlled flush tank filling device utilizing a uniform volume flow control in cooperation with a pressure operated diaphragm valve, in which a vertically extending annular passageway forms a filler passageway for the flush tank, and in which the float controlling operation of the pressure operated valve is connected with the outer passageway member, for vertically moving the same and elfecting operation of the pressure operated diaphragm valve. These and other objects of our invention will appear "ice from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side view of a flush tank, with parts of the tank broken away and other parts shown in vertical section in order to illustrate one form in which our invention may be embodied; V

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the pressure operated flush tank control Valve, showing the valve in an open position;

Figure 3 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 but showing the valve in a closed position;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the flush tank control valve shown in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form in which our invention may be embodied; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 5, but showing the flush tank control valve in a closed position.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in the drawings, we have shown in Figure 1 a flush tank or water closet bowl 10 of a well known form having an outlet pipe 11 leading from the bottom thereof and having communication with a housing member 12, the interior of which forms the suction cavity within the flush tank.

The housing 12 has a port 13 opening to the top thereof, closed by the usual ball type rubber valve 15 on the lower end of a rod 16. The rod 16 is guided in a guide 17 clamped to and extending from an overflow pipe 19, which extends upwardly from the housing 12 in spaced relation with respect to the ball type valve 15.

The ball type valve 15 is lifted off its seat by the usual wire 26 hooked to a lever 24 operated from the outside of the flush tank by a handle 25.

Referring now to the novel form of float controlled fast closing pressure operated inlet valve of our invention, a valve body 29 is shown as having a shouldered undersurface 34 having an inlet 31 depending therefrom andradapted to fit through an opening 32 in the bottom of the flush tank 10. A seal 33 is shown as abutting the shoulder 30 and as being brought into sealing engagement with the opening 32 in the bottom of the flush tank as by a nut 35 threaded on the inlet 31 into engagement with the outside of the bottom of the flush tank. The valve body 29 has an inlet passageway 36 leading therealong and terminating in a valve chamber 37 across which extends a pressure operated diaphragm valve 39.

Seated in the inlet 31 against a shouldered portion 40 thereof, is a flexible flow control annulus 41, retained in position in said inlet passageway as by a snap ring 43. The flow control annulus 41 is pressed into engagement with the shoulder as by water entering the valve and flexes within a frusto-conical passageway 44 leading to the passageway 36, upon predetermined increases in pressure on the upstream side of said annulus. This will reduce the delivery area of the orifice through said annulus, as in Patent No. 2,454,929, which issued to Leslie A. Kempton on October 30, 1948. The flow control annulus .1 thus measures definite quantities of water for delivery to the flush tank under control of the pressure operated valve 39 regardless of variations in pressure at the source.

The valve body 29 is shown as having an outlet 45 in axial alignment with the diaphragm valve 39, having a tube 46 fitted therein and extending upwardly therefrom a substantial distance above the level of water in the flush tank 10, when the tank is full. The tube 46 'may be threaded thereon and has a rod 54 extending therethrough and held for vertical movement therewith as by a nut 55. The rod 54 extends downwardly within the center of the tube 46beneath thelower end thereof and has a reduced diameter lower end portion 56 extending'thr'ough acentral'oriflce'57 in a diaphragm 59 of the diaphragm'valve 39. A pilot valve 69 is shown as being'foi'med'integrallyrwith the reduced end portion 56 of the rod 54. Thepilot valve 60 is of a general conicallformation and comes into engagement with the orifice 57'to close 'the same and efiect closing'of the pressure operated'diaphragm valve 39 .upon upward movement ofithe floatfSO, as the water in the flush tank reaches the desired level. 7

The diaphragm 59-is shown as having a thickened central portion 61 having a'metallic insert 63 molded therein and having an upwardly extending tubular portion 64 encircling and reinforcing the passageway 57. A grommet'65 is shown as being carried on the upper end portion of the tubular portion 64 of the insert 63 for fitting within the. lower end of the tube 46 upon the valve closing movement.

The diaphragm 59 has a thin walled portion 66 extending outwardly from the thickened portion thereof;

V flange 67 for closing the' end of the valve body '29 and.

with the diaphragm 59. forminga chamber 71 on the underside of said diaphragm. The cover 70 is shown as being secured to' the valve body 29 as by machine screws 72. 7 p Z i A bleeder passageway. 73 leads through the thin walled portion of the,diaphr'agmj59 to accommodate fluid under pressure to bleed therethroughinto the underdiaphragm chamber 71 and close the diaphragm valve 39 by pressure acting on the underside of the diaphragm as the pilot valve 60 closes upon raisingof the float 58 to measure the required level of wa'ter in the tank Upon opening'of the flush valve and the draining of water from the tank 10, the float will move downoutwardly 7 r V '4 I a 54?, water will flow from the inlet passageway 36 through the valve chamber 37 upwardly along the interior of the tube'46' through the port 75 and downwardly along the annular passageway between the tubes 46 and 49 to fill the flush tank.

A uniform volume of the bottom of the flush tank through the annular passage formed by the tubes 46 and 49 under control of the flow wardly with the water, moving the tube 49, rod 54 and.

pilot valve 60 downwardly therewith. This will unseat the pilot valve 60 and opengthe passageway 57, and relieve pressure from the underside of the diaphragm 59. Fluid under pressure acting on the upper side ofthe diaphragm will then move the valve to the open position shown'in Figure 2. V i

The upper end of the tube 46 forms a stoptfor the a tube 49 and limits downward movement of said tube and the float 56, and has a port 75' leading therethrough, to ac commodate the flow of water in the annular passageway control annulus 41 and diaphragm valve 39, rapidly filling the flush tank 10 with the desired quantity of water.

As the level of the water rises to a point where the float 56 floats on the surface of. the water and lifts the tube 49 an'cl rod 54 and pilot valve 66 connected therewith upwardly, the valve will engage within the passageway 57 and close the same. When this occurs fluid under pressure passing through the'bleeder passageway 73 into the under diaphragm chamber 71, will eflect closing of the diaphragm valve 39 with a snap action, and thus positively terminate the filling ofthe flush tank Thus when the level of water in the flush tank-l0 ume of the flow control annulus 41 is always constant regardless of variations in pressure at the source.

It may still further be seen'that with the quick closing of the diaphragm valve 39,'and the resultant avoiding of the usual bleeding of the water by the filler valve into the tank, as the'filler valve moves to its closed position, together with the annular passageway discharging v V the water from the filler valve-adjacent the bottom of the tank that the conditions formerly creating noise in the filling of a flush toilet have been cured, thus resulting in a quieter filling tank than'has heretofore been considered possible. V j

In the form of our invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings we have shown a flush tank con- 7 trol'valve 30 operating on principles like the diaphragm valve 39 shown in Figures land 3, but with the flush,

tank control elevated above thewater level in the flush tank so as to avoid any back s'yphoning of the water in. a

the flush tank should a negative pressure be created in the water supply system.- V

In this form'of our invention, we have shown a flanged fitting 81 extending through and secured to a bottom 82 of a flush tank as by a nut 83 threaded thereon and abutting the bottom 82 of the tank. The aperture through; the bottom 82 is sealed by ase'al 84 like the seal 33 and abutting the flangeof the flanged fitting 81 and extending within the apertured portion of the bottom 82 V v through which the fitting 81 extends, as'in the form of V i between the tubes 46 and 149 when the valve is'opened;

I It may be seen from the forgoing that when'the ball' valve 15 is lifted ofl its seat to allow water to flow down the outlet pipe 'll'to flush the closet with which said 7 outlet'plpe -1s associated; that the float 56 will move downwardly with the level of water, moving the valve 60 outof engagement with the passageway 57, and thus relieving pressure from the under diaphragm chamber 71, effecting opening of the valve byinlet'press'ur'e acting thereon. 'The float 50 and tube. 49' willthen. move I downwardly with the water until the'c'ap 53 comes into engagement with the upper end of thetube '46. The pilot valve, 60 opening by downward movement of the float our invention 'illustratedin Figure l through- 4. V

A water supply pipe 85 is shown as extending through the fittingSl and upwardly therefrom and as having a body 86 of the valve threaded thereon. V T

Mounted on the flange of the flanged fitting 81 and recessed within the periphery thereof and extending up wardly therefrom is a cylindrical shield 87 concentricwith the pipe and engaginga recessed wall portion 88 i of the valve body 86 at its .-upper. end, to isolate the 1 supply pipe 85 and the valve body 86 from water in the flush tank. V 7 1 The valve body 86 is shown as having a recessed central portion 90 opening to thetop thereof and forming av chamber closed by a cap 91 forming a support for the water will thus be' delivered to valve body; The cap 91 has acentral port 95 leading therethrough and forming an outlet for the valve.

Seated in a shouldered inlet passageway 97 of the valve body 86 and concentric with the supply pipe 85 is a flexible flow control annulus 99 similar to the flow control annulus 41, shown in Figures 2 and 3, and abutting a washer 100, which may be press-fitted within the passageway 97 into engagement with a shouldered portion 101'thereof.

The central orifice through the washer 100 is of a larger diameter than the central orifice through the flow control annulus 99 so that said flow control annulus will flex within the central orifice through the washer 100 upon increases in inlet'pressure, and thus reduce the flow area through said flexible annulus as the pressure increases, to measure a definite quantity of water for delivery to the flush tank, under the control of the pressure operated valve 80.

The end cap 91 for the valve body 86 is shown as having a flow passageway 103 in communication with the chamber 90 and as having a central open portion 104 spaced inwardly from the top of said end cap, within which a diaphragm 105 of the valve 80 moves, during valve closing movement. Spaced outwardly from the opening 104 and facing the chamber 90 is an annular groove 106 having a rim 107 of the diaphragm 105 recessed therein. A cap 109, secured to the bottom of the end cap 91 engages the edge of the diaphragm 105 and seals the same to the bottom of the cap 91, and with the under surface of said diaphragm forms an under diaphragm chamber.

The valve 80 and diaphragm 105 are like the valve 39 and diaphragm 59 so need not be described in detail except to point out that the diaphragm has a bleeder passageway 111 leading through the thin walled portion thereof and also has a pilot passageway 112 leading through the center thereof and closed by a pilot valve 113 upon upward movement of a float 115. V

The pilot valve 113 is shown as being generally conical in form and as being formed integrally with the lower end of a rod 117 extending through the pilot orifice 112 and secured at its upper end to a vertically movable shield 119 secured to the float 115 and vertically movable therewith.

The shield 119 has a cylindrical side wall 120 extending downwardly from the top thereof along the outside of the cap 91 and valve body 86 and spaced therefrom, to accommodate water passing through the outlet port 95 to flow downwardly along the wall of said shield into the flush tank.

The wall 120 of the shield 119 is shown as having an opening 121 leading therethrough, having a fitting 122 in communication therewith and welded or otherwise secured to the wall of said shield and extending outwardly therefrom. An overflow pipe 123, like overflow pipe 51, is threaded within the fitting 122 for association with an overflow drain pipe (not shown) like the overflow drain pipe 19.

As the flush valve is opened and water drains from the flush tank, the float 115 moving downwardly with the water will move the shield 119 downwardly therewith and unseat the pilot valve 113 from the pilot passageway 112 and relieve pressure from the underside of the diaphragm 105.

Fluid under pressure acting on the upper side of the diaphragm will then move the valve to the open position shown in Figure 5 at which position downward movement of the float 115 is stopped by a projection 125 projecting upwardly from the top of the end cap 91. The flush valve being closed, water will then flow through the outlet port 95 and downwardly along the inside of the shield 119 to fill the flush tank.

As the water engages the float 115 and lifts the same together with the shield 119 and rod 117, the valve 113 moving upwardly therewith, will engage the pilot passageway 112 and close the same. When this occurs fluid under pressure on the underside of the diaphragm 105 passing through the bleeder passageway 111 will eflect movement of the diaphragm valve to the position shown in Figure 6 to close the outlet port with a snap action, and terminate filling of the flush tank, as in the form of our invention shown in Figures 1 through 4.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

We claim as our invention:

1. A filling device for flush tanks comprising a valve body supported in an elevated position with respect to the tank With at least a part thereof above the levelof water in the tank, a chamber in said body, an inlet into said chamber from the bottom thereof, a float adjacent said valve body, an outlet from said valve body, a pressure operated valve in said chamber having a central orifice leading therethrough, and a pilot valve connected with said float for movement integrally therewith to effect opening and closing of said orifice and operation of said valve with a snap action in accordance with the level of water in said tank.

2. A filling device for flush tanks comprising a valve body supported in an elevated position with respect to the bottom of the tank with a greater part thereof above the level of Water in said tank, an inlet into said valve body from the bottom thereof, an end cap closing the top of said valve body and having an outlet port leading therefrom, a shield guided for vertical movement along said valve body, a float connected with said shield for vertically moving the same upon a predetermined rise in the level of water in the flush tank, a pressure operated diaphragm valve carried in said end cap for engagement with said outlet port and having a central orifice leading therethrough, and a pilot valve connected with said shield for movement integrally with said float to close said central orifice upon a rise in the level of Water in the flush tank to effect the closing of said valve with 'a snap action.

3. In a flush tank, a filling device therefor comprising a fitting at the bottom of the tank, a pipe for water leading upwardly therethrough and terminating in an elevated position with respect to said tank, a valve body on the upper end of said pipe having a valve therein supported above the level of water in the tank, a float extending about said valve body for movement therealong in accordance with the level of water in said tank, an outlet from the top of said valve body and positioned to be engaged by said valve to block the passage of water therethrough when said float is in an elevated position, said valve being a pressure operated diaphragm valve movable into engagement with said outlet by the pressure of fluid acting thereon and having a central flow orifice and a pilot valve controlling the flow of fluid through said orifice and the opening and closing of said valve, a shield extending over the top of said valve body and downwardly along the side thereof and guided for movement along said valve body and forming a passage for the discharge of flushing water along the side of said valve body, means connecting said pilot valve to said shield for movement integrally therewith, and means connecting said float to said shield for moving said shield integrally with said float to effect opening and closing of said valve in accordance with the level of water in said flush tank.

4. A pressure operated flush valve comprising a valve body supported in an elevated position with respect to a fiush tank, an inlet into said valve body, a cap closing the top of said valve body and having an outlet port leading through the top thereof, said cap having a central open portion in downwardly spaced relation with respect to said outlet port, a diaphragm valve closing said central phragm valve and securing said valve to said cap and bei'ngspaced from said valve to form an under diaphragm chamber, a pilot valve engageable with said pilot port and having a stem extending through said pilot port and out through said outlet port, a shield extending across the top of said cap and downwardly along the sides of said valve body and guided for vertical movement therealong, and'fefiecting the discharge of flushing Water along the sides of said valve body, a float adjacent said valve body, means securing said float to said shield, and means securing said stem to said shield to eifect movement of said pilot valve integrally with said fioatin accordance with vertical movement of said float, and to effect opening and closing of said outlet port in accordance with the level of water in the flush tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .STATESPATENTS Ha fidd 1-1 1 M2 1 Y Chamberlain r Dec, 17, Laurit-sen i 'NOV. 22, Bradshaw June 22, Long 1 Feb. 6, Chace 1Oct. 3 1, Richardson May 11; Crockett Oct. 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 22, 

